How important are teacher recommendations to my colleges?

Applying to College
1

I am applying to Cornell, Colgate, Bucknell, Pitt, and more universities.

I was planning on getting college recommendations by my AP Chemistry and AP Biology teachers. but things have changed. My AP Biology teacher who once loved me said that she may not even write me a recommendation because I apparently cheated on something (despite how many teachers may not consider it even cheating… I used internet resources to do an assignment. oh, the horror. All of my teachers said they wouldn’t count it as cheating but anyways…)

She would’ve written me a great recommendation, but I may have to get one from my AP Calculus teacher instead who I’ve had for one year. I think I may get a great one, but not as great as the one my AP Biology teacher would’ve given me.

I know for sure my AP Chemistry and counselor recommendations will be great, but I’m worried because I am majoring in biology so will not having my AP Biology teacher’s recommendation really hurt my chances? I’m unsure if I should still ask her for a recommendation because even if she agrees, she may not write that many great things because it seems like she hates me…

p.s. I sound grouchy about my AP Bio teacher, particularly because she targeted me and gossiped to other teachers about me. Extremely ridiculous behavior. I apologize ^-^

2

Each school values them differently. However, usually, the more elite they are (Cornell in your case), the more rec letters matter because academically most of the students are already very high achievers.

3

For schools like the Ivy League, they are extremely important. Check a school’s common data set for a school’s weighting of particular application components.
As for the subject your teachers teach and their affect on your major… I don’t think it really matters. I asked a retired Navy officer and my History teacher write me recs and I applied as an engineering major to my schools. Did just fine anyways.